Leaf spring



Oct. 12, 1937. D, R, M, YATE 2,095,585

LEAF SPRING Filed Jan. 30, 1937 Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNlTED STATESLEAF SPRING Donald Russell Martin Yates, Highclere, Chislehurst, EnglandApplication January 30, 1937, Serial No. 123,311 In Great BritainFebruary 3, 1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to leaf springs such as are commonly employed inthe suspension of locomotives, railway, road and like vehicles and/orwagons.

In existing springs the various leaves are interconnected according tocommon practice by nibbing, so as to prevent relative sideways movementbetween the individual leaves, and in order to suspend the spring incorrect position a buckle or strap is applied by a shrinkage process. Incourse of time, the individual leaves may wear or break and it becomesnecessary to strip the spring, that is to say, to disperse the variousleaves. During the process of stripping it is sometimes found that asmany as 60% of. the buckles are cracked owing to excessive strains ofshrinking on or pressing off.

The object of the present invention is to provide a means of assembly ofthe individual leaves of the spring so that they can readily be strippedin such a manner as to minimize or nullify the possibility of crackingof the spring buckles or straps.

Acccording to the present invention the leaves constituting the springare embraced by a strap or buckle between which and the outside or topleaf of the spring is positioned one or more wedge shaped memberswhereby compression on the leaves can be adjusted.

Preferably two wedge shaped members are provided the adjustment of thecompression on the leaves being obtained by means of tightening a U boltwhich is adapted to pass through the strap or buckle and so exert aforce on one of the wedge shaped members.

The invention is illustrated in the accompany ing drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation,

Figure 2 a section on the line 2-2 Figure 1 and Figure 3 a section onthe line 3-3 Figure 1.

In the drawing, the leaves I of the spring are embraced by a strap orbuckle 2 which as shown at the top is doubled upon itself and welded. AU-bolt 3 passes through a space between the undersurface of the top ofthe strap and the top leaf of the spring. llhe limbs: of the U- boltpass through holes in a block 4 and embrace means for varying thecompression on the leaves of the spring. The said means comprises twowedge shaped members 5, 6, the horizontal part 3' of the U-bolt actingupon the wedge 5 to draw it towards the block 4, the block 4 tending toforce the wedge member 6 in the reverse direction.

When it is desired to strip the spring, all that is necessary is toslacken nuts 7 on the limbs of the U-bolt and hence allow the wedgeshaped members to have relative movement whereby the compression on theleaves constituting the spring is reduced so that the individual leavescan readily be dispersed whereby the risk of cracking the buckle orstrap is nullified or minimized.

Such an arrangement may be employed with the usual method of assembly inthe buckle or strap, i. e. the shrinkage process or again it mayadvantageously be employed with the cold assembly process and buckledevice described in my copending application No. 3278/36 in GreatBritain.

What I claim is:-

1. A leaf spring for use in the suspension of locomotives, railway, roadand like vehicles and/or wagons in which there is provided a straplikemember which embraces the leaves of the spring, two wedge shaped memberspositioned between the straplike member and the outside leaf of thespring, a U-bolt which embraces said wedge members and passesthroughsaid straplike member, a block carried by said U-bolt and againstwhich one of said wedge members abuts and means for tightening saidU-bolt to cause relative movement between said wedge members to adjustthe compression on the leaves of the spring.

2. A leaf spring for use in the suspension of locomotives, railway, roadand like vehicles and/ or wagons in which there is provided a straplikemember which embraces the leaves of the spring, two wedge shaped memberspositioned between the straplike member and the outside leaf of thespring, a U-bolt which embraces said Wedge members and passes throughsaid straplike member, the horizontal limb of the U-bolt abuttingagainst one of said wedge members, a block carried by said U-bolt andagainst which the other wedge member abuts and means for tightening saidU-bolt to cause relative movement between said wedge members to adjustthe compression on the leaves of the spring.

DONALD RUSSELL MARTIN YATES.

